The Return
by Bynd Theodore Way
Summary: The Founders have been reincarnated and are going to Hogwarts. They now must help join the houses and set history right.
1. Prologue 1

**A/N:** I have stories I'm probably not going to finish. I just thought it fair to warn you I'm a procrastinator, but I do have the first couple of chapters of this already written.

**Summary:** The Hogwarts Founders have been reincarnated and now must work together to help the school along with the entire wizarding world.

**Notes:** There are 2 prologues. The founders were reincarnated, not brought to the future. They just all happen to be eleven. Slytherin is not evil!!!! Godric does not hate him!!! And Harry & Co. will play major roles but they are not the main characters.

**Disclaimer**: I in no way, shape, or form own any rights to Harry Potter or any of J.K.R.'s characters. This is for entertainment purposes only & I am making no money off of it.

_**Prologue 1**_

**997 A.D.**

"If your not going to separate them from their families then we cannot allow them to attend Hogwarts altogether." A tall dark haired man raged at an even angrier blonde one. "Their presence threatens all of the other students."

"Even if they come from a muggle family, ALL wizards and wizard should be allowed to attend!" The blonde raged right back, his chocolate eyes burning with a fire only Godric Gryffindor could possibly manage.

"I have nothing against the muggle-borns here, but their parents and relatives…." The man hissed in the way he became famous for. "The world they come from is the same one we are trying to escape! The very world they'll be leading here!"

"We do checks on their parents, Salazar! Most do not pose any threats, and for those that do, we can teach to embrace their child's natural abilities!" Godric practically glowed in his armor and red robe; he had the air and poise of a leader plus the fury of a lion, which made him the fiercest warrior in all the land.

"_I_ do checks on their parents and I've seen enough abuse on our students from their _parents_ and neighbors to know not to trust them to understand!" Salazar Slytherin also had the air of a leader; he wore silver armor with slithering serpents engraved into it under a deep green cloak. "As for the children, if _we don't tell them_ they will go about their lives as muggles. They are not unhappy, and it may save their lives. You've seen the muggles, what they think of us! Our worlds cannot join! They are trying to eliminate us, let us allow them to believe they have."

Salazar was known for remaining collected in any situation, and his cool use of tactics made him the best strategist in England. He and Godric made the most remarkable team, but also the most terrible enemies when pitted against one another.

"And what of when the start to show their magic? Without training, the bursts of accidental magic will get worse and more frequent!" Godric snapped at his best friend.

Salazar scowled at Godric; there was no one who felt as strongly about this as the Slytherin founder, "All I know is that I walk through that graveyard every day to see the names of ancient and noble families, of parents who left my students orphaned, of first born sons, of heirs! If keeping muggle-borns out of Hogwarts can help stop this, why don't we do it?!"

Godric's chocolate eyes met Salazar's pure black ones, neither looking away. "Sal, we can't just leave them…" a feminine voice said from one corner of the room.

"Helga? You agree with Gryffindor?" Salazar looked over at the black haired woman in surprise.

"There are a lot of muggle-borns in my House, they're good kids, and they work so hard to keep up with the others."

Helga Hufflepuff looked over to the last founder for support. She had he head bent over a scroll, brown hair falling onto the face. Rowena sighed, "This is a school, we're here to teach, and we can't dictate who should be allowed to learn here. If the have magic and are willing to learn what we teach them, we should let them come." She said this quickly and sternly, before going back to interpreting the text on the scroll.

Salazar stared around at his friends before turning and heading for the Entrance Hall.

"Sal?" Helga called out to him, quickly starting to go after him; she never liked her friends to be angry with her.

"No." He said stopping, his voice became quiet, "No, I can't do this anymore." Salazar looked around at the three people who he had come to think of as his family. "I can't be a part of this, I can't stay _here_ anymore. I'm leaving."

"L-leaving?" Godric, who had followed Salazar and Helga, choked out, completely caught of guard.

"Sal don't!" Helga said trying to think of something to say to him.

"You're leaving?" Rowena Ravenclaw walked in, scroll forgotten, "You can't be serious."

"Yes, I am," Salazar's eyes were cold as ice, before he turned and walked out the door. Outside he could see many students had come out to see what the commotion was about. " I have a chamber hidden deep in the castle, when my heir comes only he will be able to unlock it, perhaps the world will be different then…"

All the way to the edge of Hogwarts wards Salazar could hear Godric yelling and cursing him. "Then never come back you dirty snake!" was the last thing Salazar Slytherin heard before disapparating away forever.

A/N: Next chapter is Prologue 2 and I am working on it. Reviews make me happy. Flames make me laugh.

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	2. Prologue 2

_**Prologue 2**_

**A/N:** This is the second prologue. This won't center on Harry, but this chapter is all about him. This is AU sixth year. Dumbledore probably won't die, but Sirius is dead. However if people ask nicely that could change.

**Disclaimer:** I do not, in any way, shape, or form own Harry Potter or any of J.K.R.'s characters. I am not making any money off of this.

Harry Potter sighed and looked around the deserted school. It was two weeks until he would begin his sixth year at Hogwarts, but Dumbledore had come to retrieve him earlier that day. He would stay at Grimmald Place until September first. He had inherited the place now that Sirius was gone. Harry felt a pang of guilt; he couldn't help but blame himself for his godfather's death.

He looked around again; the Headmaster had some business to attend to which left Harry free to explore the castle. Obviously his first stop was the kitchens where the house elves made up for the little food he had received during his stay with the Dursleys. Now he was wondering what he should do. He had explored nearly every inch of the castle with the help of the Marauders' Map, so he had nothing to do.

Then he had an idea. There was one place he hadn't been since his second year. He quickly made his way to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"Oh, Harry! You finally came to visit!" Myrtle said, swooping down and hovering in Harry's personal space.

"Hello Myrtle." Harry said edging away from the ghost. "Actually I wanted to explore the Chamber a bit." At Myrtle's disappointed look Harry added, "You can come along, if you'd like."

"Oh, I couldn't get in, there's a spell in place that makes ghosts go from one side to the other… it's why we ghosts couldn't find the Chamber." Myrtle replied in her half whiney half flirty voice she used.

"Oh, that makes sense," Harry said walking over to the sink. ::Open:: he hissed in Parseltongue. "I'll see you later then."

"If you die, I'll be waiting!" Myrtle giggled while Harry jumped down the Chamber's opening.

He walked down the familiar path to the place where he had fought the Basilisk. He was shocked to find the giant serpent still lying on the floor with no signs of decay.

He also noticed a few doors he hadn't noticed before. They where engraved with hundreds of slithering snakes. He tried pushing it open but decided it must open the same way the Camber opened. ::Open up:: Harry hissed at the first door. Inside was what he thought looked like a giant pensive. It filled the entire center of the large room. However, when Harry looked closer the content was not only the ghostly white that memories where but also had tints of magnificent color, blue, green, red, and yellow.

Curious, Harry leaned over the edge of the bowl. But, as soon as he came in contact with the edge the pensive contents started to bubble and within seconds the contents shot past Harry and out of the chamber leaving the bowl empty.

Surprised, Harry could only stare for a moment before leaving to tell Dumbledore.


	3. Reincarnation Reunion

_**Reincarnation Reunion**_

**A/N:** Hey, what's up with you putting this story on your favorites but not reviewing?! Anyway here's another chapter. I know they've been really short and this one is too, sorry. Anyway can anyone help me think up good names for the founder's reincarnations? I have okay ones but if you can think of any better ones I give you a cameo role, it won't be too major though and you can choose who you'll be. But that's only if I think they are good. I especially need one for Salazar. Thanks.

**Disclaimer:** I do not in any way, shape, or form own Harry Potter.

Shouts echoed through the street disturbing the young boy reading quietly in the lower branches of an old pecan tree. Dark green eyes looked lazily down the street to where a large group of children were chanting and yelling. Sighing and swiping at one of his dark brown bangs, the boy used a leaf to mark his place in his book, hopped down from the tree and strode at a leisurely pace towards the group of adolescents.

As the boy got closer he could hear the sounds of a violent fist fight. "Ah, muggles," the boy thought, "fighting over anything, so quick to jump to violence." The dark haired boy looked through the cluster of children to see a small boy with auburn hair fighting with a whale of a blonde child. Surprisingly the smaller boy had the larger one on the ground and was currently punching him in the stomach.

As the dark haired boy continued to observe the scuffle, something about the winning boy clicked in his memory. It took only a moment to remember why.

"Godric?!"

The smaller boy looked up in surprise, his light golden eyes meeting emerald before widening in surprise. In the few seconds that the boy spent in shock the large child freed himself from under him and made a run for it down the street. The crowd of children whose ages spanned from 7 to 16 burst into cheers and swarmed the, not small, but lean young man. The darker boy pushed his way through the crowd and grabbed the boy's wrist before yanking him out and pulling him towards the shadows.

"Hey!" The hazel eyes protested snatching his hand away.

"Godric?" The dark haired boy asked again, his green eyes searching the amber of the other.

"What do _you _want Salazar?" The boy huffed and crossed his arms.

"Godric!" The lean boy suddenly found himself in the arms of the other boy. "Salazar? Are you feeling alright?" The light eyed boy asked warily.

Salazar withdrew quickly. "You are still angry with me Godric? After all this time?"

"What do you think Salazar?" Godric asked rhetorically, his hands curled themselves into fists, "You ran out on us, your friends and your students!"

"Godric…" Salazar started before grumbling and closing his eyes. When he opened them he looked the other boy straight in the eye and said, "I'm sorry."

All Godric could do was stare for a full ten seconds. "You never apologize… what's wrong with you?"

Emerald eyes glared defensively before softening slightly. "I thought I would not see you again. But now, we are here, together…we can not continue to hate each other."

Godric stared, dumbstruck. He had been furious with Salazar for so long. But did he hate him?

"I never hated you." Godric said quietly.

"Yes you did." A dark eyebrow rose in a gesture so reminiscent of his past self.

"I didn't! I was mad at you, wanted to kill you actually…" Godric smiled while Salazar frowned, "But I could never really hate you. You're my best friend!"

It was Salazar's turn to receive a bear hug that was so strong he had to rub at the sore spots on his arms where Godric's had pinned them.

"So were friends again?" Godric asked when he let go.

"I was about to ask you that exact question." Salazar said with a sideways glance.

"Then I guess we are" The light boy said holding out his hand.

"I guess we are," The dark boy echoed taking the offered hand and shaking it firmly.

I'm going to post this again in case some people don't read A/N's. Can anyone help me think up good names for the founder's reincarnations? I have okay ones but if you can think of any better ones I give you a cameo role, it won't be too major though, but you can choose who you'll be. But that's only if I think they are good. I especially need one for Salazar. I want his last name to be first so he is sorted before the other founders, but that's only a suggestion. If the name is really good I probably won't even care! Thanks.


	4. Letters

A/N: Okay I'm back. Sorry, I'm a horrible typer and I had this chapter written but never felt like typing it up. Sorry! This is kinda a filler chapter. I might get chapter 5 up sometime today though. Thanks to Laurien1 and donalddeutsch who are the only one who thought up names for me. I'm gonna use Greystone and Candace so both of you get a character if you want! Just E-mail or review them to me. And thanks to kyer and Breaca Grimm who reviewed also.

Disclaimer: I in no way, shape, or form own Harry Potter or any of the characters. I merely made up the plot and the way the founders act. Everything else is the property of Miss J. K. Rowling. I'm just borrowing her world to have fun not make profit!

"What cha reading?"

Salazar sighed and marked his place with a finger. His green eyes then looked irritably up at bright golden ones.

"A muggle book." Salazar answered simply before looking back to it. "And don't fall."

Salazar Slytherin was once again sitting in the old pecan tree reading while his best friend Godric Gryffindor climbed to the top most branches to pick the pecans. Godric had hooked his legs on one of the stronger branches so that he could hang upside-down next to Salazar.

"I'm not gonna fall, Salazar!" Godric said then grinned. "But why do you have a _muggle_ book?"

"It's the only kind I could get." Salazar answered shortly yet again, this time not looking up.

At that Godric unhooked his legs, falling on Salazar's branch and shaking down some pecans in the process.

"Don't do that!" Salazar snapped at his friend who grinned.

Godric gained his balance and decided to ignore his startled companion's complaint. "Hey, you're muggleborn?"

"Yes." Salazar stated irritably.

Godric's face then lit up in a hug smile. "Me too!"

The darker boy rolled his eyes at his hyper friend. "I had figured that."

"Really?" Godric sat on the branch facing Salazar.

Salazar looked up at Godric's cheerful golden eyes. "I highly doubt there is a wizarding family _here_."

"Oh, yeah…" Godric said as if he just remembered where he was. "But what are you reading? It looks long."

"Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, and it _is_ long. I'm almost finished, and before you ask," Salazar looked up sharply at his friend whose mouth had already opened to ask. "It is too complicated to explain properly."

"Oh…" The red-head looked disappointed. "Well could you stop reading for a bit?"

"Why?" the response was more of a demand than a question.

"Cause I want to talk with you!" A small flame of irritation burned in Godric's golden orbs. Salazar could not help but smirk at the trait so reminiscent of the man the boy used to be.

"Alright, calm yourself!" Salazar said grabbing a leaf to use as a book mark.

"Why don't you just fold the page over?" Godric asked, he was about to lean over to demonstrate when Salazar jerked the book back.

"Because, if I folded the page over every time my reading was interrupted, every page would have fold lines. Now didn't you want to talk about something?" Salazar said hiding his book behind him.

"Yeah, when did you get you memory back?" Godric asked.

"Yesterday. My eleventh birthday" Salazar said with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh…" Godric said uncharacteristically quiet.

"What?" Salazar asked his friend.

"Oh, well… I got my memory a few days ago. I noticed you but since you didn't talk to me I thought you still didn't want anything to do with me." Godric said guiltily.

"Hmm… was it your birthday as well?" Salazar asked deep in thought.

"No, I was born in March…" Godric said still quietly.

Salazar looked at his friend, then realized he was still feeling a little guilty. "If you had approached me before yesterday, I wouldn't have known you. So don't dwell on it like an idiot."

Godric seemed to cheer up a bit at that. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks Sal."

"Don't call me Sal," He hissed, "And I'm always right."

"Sure Sal." Godric laughed and reached for a pecan.

The brunette merely rolled his eyes. "So what does this mean?"

"What does what mean?" Godric said trying to break open a pecan with his teeth.

"Our memories, and when we got them." Salazar said distractedly. "Hey, what day is it Godric?"

"Wasn't yesterday your birthday?" Godric said around the still intact pecan shell.

"Right, be right back." Salazar jumped from the tree and landed with bent legs, then ran into the house whose yard they where in. He reappeared a few seconds later carrying a letter.

"What's that?" Godric asked, pecan falling from his mouth as he hung upside down again.

"Hogwarts acceptance. I suspect you have one as well." Salazar informed him.

"Hogwarts?!" Godric promptly fell out of the tree. "We're going to Hogwarts? As students?"

"Yes." Salazar said reading through the letter. "Sending letters… we only did that with purebloods, it's rather fortunate I received it before my parents."

"How come?" Godric asked sitting up.

"They might have thought it a joke of some sort… hopefully things haven't changed so much that they don't send a guide of some sort." Salazar said while memorizing the supply list. "By the way, who talked to the muggle parents after I left?"

"Rowena" Godric said while trying to get a look at the letter.

Salazar pulled it away quickly, but not before Godric had a glimpse.

"Your name is Jeremy?!" Godric said cracking up. "Jeremy Greystone?"

Salazar looked anything but amused. "What's yours then?"

"Gabriel Leone!" Godric said proudly.

Salazar snickered. "Leo as in lion? Well, Gabe at least I have something to call _you_ now."

"I don't care _Sal_; you're the one who gets annoyed easily!" Godric smiled at the glare his friend gave him.

"I do not." Salazar said stubbornly before looking back at the letter. "Albus Dumbledore is the current Head."

"Who?" Godric said dusting off his fallen pecan.

"I don't know." Salazar said looking at his friend. "Do _not_ put that back in your mouth."

"What? Why?" Godric looked down at the pecan in his hand.

"It fell on the ground!" Salazar snapped at him.

"It's in its shell! It's still okay!" Godric argued.

"Whatever…" Salazar looked back to the letter after rolling his eyes at his friend. "There is a nut cracker in my house you know."

"Really?" Godric asked.

"No, Godric, we have a huge pecan tree in our front yard but we don't have a nutcracker." Salazar said sarcastically.

"You don't have to be mean." Godric huffed before lying down on the grass. "Anyway I almost got it open."

Salazar just sighed at his best friend.

"Won't it be weird?" Godric said suddenly.

"What?" Salazar said impatiently sitting beside his friend on the grass.

"Going to Hogwarts. Especially for you." Godric continued.

"I want to see how the school has changed. How the world of magic has changed. Besides there will be plenty to learn and relearn I'm sure." Salazar reasoned.

"Yeah… how're we gonna get our supplies though?" Godric said nudging his friend.

"Like I said before, hopefully there will be a guide to retrieve us. I'll write back later, myself." Salazar said lying back.

"Oh." Godric said looking up at the sky.

"Yeah, hopefully the Head isn't a Gryffindor, or we may have to figure it out on our own!" Salazar teased earning a thump in the stomach from his friend. "I hope they arrive soon. I abhor untimely people."

"Do you ab-or me then?" Godric asked stumbling over the word.

"Abhor. And no, sorry I had forgotten you're always late." Salazar replied.

"You forgot cause you where gone so long. And I'm not _always_ late." Godric corrected.

"Godric, you would be late for your own funeral." Salazar smirked.

Godric tried to hit Salazar again but Salazar blocked. "You know it's true."

Godric sighed. "Hey, y'know what?"

"What?" Salazar said closing his eyes when the sun came out from behind a cloud.

"If I have to go become a student in a school I built, I'm glad you're coming too." Godric said.

"_We_ built. And is that because you missed me or is it out of spite?" Salazar turned to look at his friend.

"Cause I missed you idiot!" Godric said.

"Sure." Salazar said looking up at the sky.

Godric stayed most of the day talking and joking with his best and longest friend. He even had dinner there which got him in trouble with his parents. Throughout the day Salazar could not help but wonder at how much his reckless companion had _not_ changed. He was the same old Godric he had met over 1000 years ago around the same age. That night he wrote responses to both his and Godric's letter, then sent it with the owl he saw perched conveniently on this window sill. Lying in bed Salazar thought of what Godric had said and what he hadn't. "I'm glad too." He finally said to the darkness of his room before falling asleep. At Godric's house, the red-head slept soundly already knowing what his friend had wanted to say.

Here are the names thus far!

Salazar Slytherin- Jeremy Greystone (Last name was gonna be Ashby)

Godric Gryffindor- Gabriel Leone

Rowena Ravenclaw- Candace Fahey (it was gonna be Catherine)

Helga Hufflepuff- Elizabeth (Eliza) O'Hara

IF YOU DON"T LIKE THESE NAMES FEEL FREE TO TELL ME!

Review! Press the button! Come on!

You know you want to!


	5. Gringotts

A/N: Sorry it took so long. I wanted to add a little more to this, but I'm kinda stuck on the formalities. I have a bunch of ideas when they actually get to Hogwarts, but right now in need to figure out how to do the shopping/meet the female founders' chapter. This chapter at least gets them to Diagon Alley.

It was dreadfully early in the morning when Salazar was startled awake by a pounding at the door. It sounded as if someone was beating their door down with a sledge hammer, and it was practically shaking the house. "That had better not be what I think it is." He said to the dark ceiling of his room before heaving himself out of bed. He was not a morning person and already had a deep scowl on his face.

Grumbling to himself as he rushed downstairs and opened the door. Outside was a man who could have been six men in a fur coat. He had extremely tangled brown hair on his head and face, and warm black eyes.

"Hey Jem!"

Salazar sighed at the familiar voice coming from behind the large man. Godric poked his head around the half giants arm and smiled at his friend.

Salazar just glared back. "I assume you've been sent from Hogwarts?"

"Oh, yea. Name's Rubeus Hagrid, but you can call me jus' Agrid. You Jeremy Gre'stone then?" Hagrid said with a smile behind his long tangled beard.

Salazar flinched a bit at the man's way of pronunciation, but said nothing. "Yes, I am."

"Great! So we'll need ta' get yer supplies an' such." Hagrid said enthusiastically.

"Jeremy?" A voice from within the house.

"I believe you have forgotten about something." Salazar said motioning back to the brown haired woman inside the house.

"Was' that?" Hagrid asked curiously.

"Are you going to explain magic and Hogwarts to my mother, or are you planning on kidnapping me?" Salazar snapped a bit harshly.

"Oh a, ye mean yeh didn't already?" Hagrid said with a bit of nervousness in his voice.

"And how would you expect me to do that exactly?" Salazar said half mockingly.

"Oh, give him a break Sal!" Godric said coming inside as if it was his own house.

"I wasn't speaking to you Gabriel." Salazar hissed. He was in a bad mood this early and was even more irritated that his suspicions had been confirmed. The headmaster was definitely a Gryffindor.

"Don't mind him. He gets a bit cranky if you wake him up too early!" Godric told Hagrid which made him relax a little.

"Hello Ms. Greystone!" Godric said politely to the woman standing idly in the hall.

"Uh, hello Gabriel. W-what's going on?" Salazar's mother asked warily, still looking at the intimidating form of Hagrid.

"See, Sa- I mean Jeremy's a wizard, and now he needs to go to a school to train a and stuff." Godric said then grinned proudly.

"That was informational…" Salazar sighed again, then turned to his mother. "I've been accepted into a school to help nurture my natural talents. I'll need to be away most of the year, but I will write you." He was going to have to explain himself in more detail when he returned.

Ms. Greystone looked about to protest when Salazar stopped her. "Just trust me on this. You know I don't go barreling into trouble. I know what I'm doing alright?"

"Alright Jeremy." She said before giving him a hug. It was true, Jeremy had always been logical and mature for his age.

"I'll be back after getting my supplies. We don't leave until September the first." Salazar said wriggling out of the embrace.

"Well. Uh….bes' be getting' on our way, eh?" Hagrid said uncomfortably.

"Right. Let's go then." Godric said not at all uncomfortable.

"Hold on you imbecile, let me get dressed!" Salazar snapped at him before running upstairs.

The two friends were surprised to see the entrance to Diagon Alley hadn't changed in 1000 years, although a bar called The Leaky Cauldron had been built around it. Salazar was busy trying to convert in his mind the $600 his mother had given him (which she was going to use to buy his 6th grade school supplies anyway) into Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts.

Godric however was still going on about the triple-decker purple bus that had transported them here. He was probably the only one who had enjoyed that ride, as Salazar thought it was extremely uncomfortable.

Hagrid was pointing out normal things and muttering about 'strange muggle machines' and trying to explain all about magic which Salazar eventually tuned out. Diagon Alley itself however was drastically different then what it once was. It was bigger and it had a lot more than the small shops and apothecary it had a millennium ago.

Hagrid walked the two up to Gringotts which to Salazar was the most astounding change. It was at least 10 times larger and seemed to be run entirely by goblins. Salazar couldn't help but agree with their guide that Gringotts would be the safest place for their gold. Back in his day he had asked a goblin specifically to keep up his vault even though there were a few wizards working there as well. He knew they were extremely trustworthy if not a bit grumpy.

Godric had meanwhile started up a conversation about dragons with Hagrid who they found out was the Care of Magical Creatures professor at Hogwarts. Salazar was going to point out to Godric that he shouldn't know anything about dragons, but couldn't get him alone and Hagrid didn't seemed to notice.

After the exchanged there muggle money for wizarding coins Hagrid was about to lead them to a store called Flourish and Blotts, when Salazar cut him off.

"If you don't mind, I believe we can get everything on the list ourselves." Salazar said carefully, he wasn't so irritable now that he was fully awake. "You could come fetch us in a few hours if you'd like."

"Uh, well, alrigh'. You sure yer not gonna be needin' any help now?" Hagrid asked.

"We'll be fine." Salazar said and Godric grinned and nodded.

"See ya Hagrid!" Godric waved.

"Alrigh' I'll see ya in a few hours then!" Hagrid said before walking off.

"I like him." Godric said throwing an arm over Salazar's shoulders.

"Definitely a Gryffindor." Was Salazar's reply.

"Think so?" Godric actually pondered it for a moment.

"I'm sure of it." Salazar said. "Let's go back to Gringotts and see our vaults."

"Can you believe how big it's gotten?" Godric said.

"I know." The brunette agreed.

"Back again I see. Did you… forget something?" One of the goblins asked when he saw the two boys enter.

"Yes actually. Do you by any chance have an employee here with the surname Sepleburn?" Salazar asked politely.

"Sepleburn?" The goblin looked at Salazar suspiciously, then he called out to one of the goblins in the back.

The goblin which came out was particularly old and also had a suspicious look in his eyes. Once the former goblin left, Sepleburn immediately asked, "How do you know me?"

"Your family was put in charge of my friend's vault as well as my own." Salazar answered smoothly. "I need access to vaults 2 and 5."

Sepleburn's eyes widened then narrowed in rapid succession. "Do you have your key?"

Salazar was actually amused by the goblin's question, as he knew he was trying to make them slip up if this was a plan to steal from the vault. Goblin's had always been very clever, not to mention possessive.

"Those vaults do not require a key." Salazar replied patiently. Godric, however, seemed to be a bit irritated as he hadn't recognized what the goblin was attempting, and was very anxious to explore the vastly improved wizard market.

Sepleburn was still looking at them with narrowed eyes, and Salazar knew why; there was nothing goblins hated more than thieves. "Right this way." He said suspicion not leaving his voice.

They where lead to a platform that dropped straight down to the deepest depths of the bank. The platform jerked and came to a complete stop after 15 minutes of free falling. "Vault number 5" Sepleburn said smirking.

"Right that's mine!" Godric, who had been looking around quietly, piped up when he saw his vault. It was huge and golden with a lion engraved on it in a very noble pose.

When Godric approached the door the lion sprang to life and gave a ferocious roar. Godric walked right up to it and placed his hand on the lions head as if to pet it. There was a flash of red light then the lion purred and the door opened with a loud creak.

Inside the walls where a warm red color, which Salazar couldn't help but sneer at, it was as large as a hallway and was packed with piles of not only wizarding money, but also jewels, weapons, and large chests. Godric went directly over to a white gold chest to the side and opened it.

He shifted the objects around until he found what he was looking for. He got out a pouch with the Gryffindor seal on it. He looked around putting more coins in the pouch then could physically fit although the bag still looked empty. He pocketed the pouch and was about to close the chest when something caught his eye. It was a golden locket with a ruby stone. When he picked it up he felt his magic welcome the familiar item.

"Hey! Remember this?" Godric said holding the locket up.

"Yes." Salazar responded from outside the vault, thinking of the locket's nearly identical silver and emerald counterpart.

"You know where yours is?" Godric asked slipping the locket around his neck.

"No, I died with mine…" Salazar said quietly sparing a glance at Sepleburn who seemed to be stunned.

"If you…but that must mean…" The old goblin rasped out.

"Yes?" Salazar's eyes held the goblin's with a subtle power, and the banker was momentarily at a loss for words. Salazar decided to spare him the trouble. "Ah, yes. One thousand years ago, I entrusted my own vault as well as three of my comrades vaults in the care of your family. I expected secrecy and attention from your ancestor."

"And you can expect the same from me." The goblin supplied, still under the emerald gaze of the Hogwarts Founder.

"Then we appear to be on level ground." Salazar said allowing the harsher edge of his voice to fade. His eyes lifted off of the banker and rested on Godric who was hopping agilely out of his vault. "That answer is appreciated."

"Next?" Godric said pocketing his money pouch with a interested grin on his light features. He was still wearing the ruby adorned round locket.

Salazar almost told Gryffindor to take it off when he stopped himself. It would be interesting enough to find anyone who could recognize that item, probably lost in time for a millennia. Instead he answered, while stepping back onto the moving platform. "Yes."

The platform took the three even deeper into the Earth's crust, deeper until the air held a stale chill and the only light that could ever ender was the dull glow from the torches. As they journeyed farther Godric could not help but wonder why his friend liked these dank and dark areas so much. The Gryffindor house founder was already shivering slightly by the time Sepleburn's raspy and oddly subdued voice called out the vault number for number 2.

This vault, like Godric's, was different than most. Instead of a common door, the object sealing the vault from intruders was a huge stone basilisk. It was coiled around the entrance, blocking the low archway completely, it's eyes were thankfully closed.

Salazar didn't hesitate in stepping smoothly off the platform and up to the stone monster. At his approach the basilisk gave a shiver and began to move it's enormous stone head. Salazar's speech turned to Parseltongue by instinct. ::Hush, now. Surely you remember me?::

Godric watched with a strange fascination as his friend began conversing with the large stone snake. He didn't know why, but no matter how many times Godric saw Salazar speak in the language of the snakes, it never failed to be extremely creepy. Not that Godric Gryffindor was scared, but the fact that he was not curiously and recklessly bounding over to explore the secret vault of his best friend spoke volumes to anyone who knew him.

The basilisk's eyes remained closed on orders, and it sleepily uncoiled it's long body to make an opening so that Salazar could access his money. Unlike Vault 5, this vault had default stone walls and instead of jewels and treasures lying haphazardly about there was a comfortable feeling of order. Unmarked chests held his wizard currency, and shelves and racks held various amounts of ancient texts and weapons.

His stone basilisk had slithered it's way into the vault and was happily praising its master's return. In glancing over at the enchanted guardian, green eyes were drawn to a sheathed blade.

The dark wizard moved closer and picked it up from its place. ::It's been too long.:: He hissed absent mindedly as he drew the short sword from its sheath.

It's true that the weapon would not bring the same amount of awe Godric's ornamental sword would. It's jade lined hilt and obsidian edges were not as visually appealing as the ruby encrusted hilt and goblin made blade of his companion, however, Salazar felt he had the better deal when it came to power.

The Goblin's had most likely reacquired Godric's beloved blade, but Salazar had made this sword himself. He'd spent the time weaving his own magic into its every fiber, and the result of his hard work was revealed in the humming burst of welcoming power that filled the Founder as soon as he'd drawn the sword.

Salazar quickly re-sheathed the sword and secreted it away inside a pouch similar to Godric's that was, however, effectively invisible to anyone but himself. Salazar attempted to wandlessly summon his coins to himself, and was unhappily startled when it was unsuccessful. The Founder had a horribly annoyed sneer on his face that was so effective, even his currently blind stone guardian shivered.

Salazar left the vault with his invisible pouch already tucked into his pocket. He stepped back onto the platform, his mind somewhere else as he watched the stone snake recoil itself in front of his vault's entrance. "Let's go."


End file.
